Design Master Wish List

The current releases are DM Electrical RT 1.1, DM Electrical 8.4, DM HVAC 7.3, and DM Plumbing 4.1. We are not adding new features to these releases.

The next releases will be DM Electrical RT 1.2, DM Electrical 8.5, DM HVAC 7.4, and DM Plumbing 4.2 We are actively working on these release and using this wishlist to guide which features we implement. Some features you see marked as “complete” will not be available until these releases are finished.

How can we improve Design Master?

You've used all your votes and won't be able to post a new idea, but you can still search and comment on existing ideas.

There are two ways to get more votes:

When an admin closes an idea you've voted on, you'll get your votes back from that idea.

You can remove your votes from an open idea you support.

To see ideas you have already voted on, select the "My feedback" filter and select "My open ideas".

Enter your idea

(thinking…)

Enter your idea and we'll search to see if someone has already suggested it.

If a similar idea already exists, you can support and comment on it.

If it doesn't exist, you can post your idea so others can support it.

Enter your idea and we'll search to see if someone has already suggested it.

With all the other information that can be inserted into the One-line diagram (feeder size & length, etc.) it would be helpful to also add Voltage Drop percentage for each feeder as well. For longer feeders this is required and it would make it much easier to see the big picture if it was all in one place rather than possibly spread out over several sheets for larger jobs.

By default, creating a one-line diagram generates panel blocks with dynamically sized width to accommodate the number of outgoing connections. This is because the default riser block for panels is set to <Custom Panel Box with Bus>. As a result, a panel that feeds three other panels will have a one-line block three times as wide as a panel which feeds only one panel.

If a user wants to generate one-line diagrams which include a default set of labels, they first have to create a one-line block containing the desired labels from entities in the drawing. However, when the user then changes the default panel one-line block from <Custom Panel Box with Bus> to the one-line block they created, then subsequent one-line diagrams will contain panel blocks which do not resize themselves. This limitation creates messy one-line diagrams when panels feed multiple pieces of equipment.

To address this issue, I propose a set of features that allows the user to define default labels for each equipment type (Panel, Switchboard, Transformer, etc) complete with suffix and prefix settings. This way, the user could leave the default block selection on <Custom Panel Box with Bus> to ensure their blocks are sized correctly while still including the relevant label information.

Ideally any <Custom Panel Box with Bus> blocks also take label text length into consideration when being generated. For example, the voltage label's text length exceeds the default width of a panel with no outgoing connections.

By default, creating a one-line diagram generates panel blocks with dynamically sized width to accommodate the number of outgoing connections. This is because the default riser block for panels is set to <Custom Panel Box with Bus>. As a result, a panel that feeds three other panels will have a one-line block three times as wide as a panel which feeds only one panel.

If a user wants to generate one-line diagrams which include a default set of labels, they first have to create a one-line block containing the desired labels from entities in the drawing. However, when the user…

1. When a new feeder is added, it won't change the IDs on all the other feeders. Not a problem during early design, but it is a problem when the drawings are under change control. Having to bubble all of the feeder IDs makes it look like a bigger change than it actually is.

2. Be able to have consistent ID names across projects. A specific feeder configuration would have a common name, making it easier to read plans for different projects.

Also be able to have feeder ID groups with different graphics. Different groups could correspond to different materials, making it easily visible if a feeder is copper or aluminum.

Be able to have fixed feeder IDs in a project. Two possible uses:

1. When a new feeder is added, it won't change the IDs on all the other feeders. Not a problem during early design, but it is a problem when the drawings are under change control. Having to bubble all of the feeder IDs makes it look like a bigger change than it actually is.

2. Be able to have consistent ID names across projects. A specific feeder configuration would have a common name, making it easier to read plans for different projects.

This should have been added in the last release. In Options, go to “Homeruns and Loops→Homerun wire callouts and tick marks” and the “Tick marks for #12, tick marks and wire callouts if > #12” option should do what you want.

The available fault current is available to place on the one-line diagram, but not the "set fault @ switchboard" value. The available fault current includes motor contribution, and is not what plan reviewers are looking for at the service entrance on the one-line. They are looking for the value given by the Utility company in its table.

On 240/120V-3P-4W systems, the current requirement is that Phase B is the high leg. Should be allowed to select Phase C as the high leg. Should allow 3-pole breaker to start on any phase, should allow 2-pole breaker on any phase. Must prohibit 1-pole breaker on the high leg.

Introduce an option into the standard options that allows disabling the feature of copying IES files to the project folder. The number of IES files introduced into the project directories causes serious clutter.

We have a client that we’re doing minor remodels for that wants to see all their panel schedules on the drawings. Tabbing works to get to the Fixed Loads Input, but incrementing the circuit still requires mouse input (or a lot of tabbing).

One solution that might be to have ‘Enter’ increment the circuit and tab would still behave like it does now. A ctrl+Enter would also be quicker than going to the mouse.

I would like to be able to remove electrical equipment tags. Sometimes the plan is too crowded for the tags. In that case, a person could follow the circuit number to the panelboard schedule to see what something is.

The fractions of watts come int play on some projects wit a lot of LED fixtures. Right now DM accepts a decimal and stores it until you look at that fixture again. It will then display a rounded value, act as if you changed the value and ask you to save your changes. If you do, you lose the decimal. Even storing without displaying would be helpful if you get the correct value in Excel.

It would be very helpful if you there was a system in design master to automatically draft/populate a One-Line/Riser/other Diagram in model space based on what panels, switchboards, transformers, wireways etc. have been defined in the database itself.

The most preferred way to do this is if Design Master would create the Diagram based on templates, or a customized template that we could edit ourselves which would instruct Design Master how to draft the diagram (where to place devices in relation to eachother, size of panels/busses, what information about those devices you want displayed, whether you want wire callouts visible and other such options.)

It would be very helpful if you there was a system in design master to automatically draft/populate a One-Line/Riser/other Diagram in model space based on what panels, switchboards, transformers, wireways etc. have been defined in the database itself.

The most preferred way to do this is if Design Master would create the Diagram based on templates, or a customized template that we could edit ourselves which would instruct Design Master how to draft the diagram (where to place devices in relation to eachother, size of panels/busses, what information about those devices you want displayed, whether you want wire callouts visible…

When connecting loads on a switch, a tally of the load in amps should be available as a guide so as not to overload a switch. For example a dimming switch rated at 800W should not exceed 6.7A at 120V, otherwise the switch is overloaded and may fail.